Independent practice is in decline across at least nine medical specialties due to hospital acquisitions, according to a report released by the Progressive Policy Institute in December 2025.
The report evaluated 70 economic studies that analyzed the impacts of hospital acquisitions on physicians, patients and communities.
Here are the percentage decreases in independent practice due to hospital acquisitions across nine medical specialties:
- Anesthesiology: -4%
- Internal medicine: -16%
- Neurology: -19%
- Gastroenterology: -20%
- Family practice: -21%
- Obstetrics and gynecology: -25%
- Cardiology: -31%
- Oncology: -39%
- General surgery: -42%
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